THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

lips she recognized kissed her gently. He was no hallucination.
    Nothing had ever felt as real as Zane.
    Finally, she quieted and ran a hand over Zane’s face. “It is you,” she said, her voice full of awe.
    “Are you hurt, honey?”
    The concern in his voice soothed her.
    “I’m okay n-now that you’re here.”  She remembered the giant nearby and whispered, “We have to get out. How’d you get in here?”
    His hot breath flowed over her ear when he spoke. “We’re going out through the roof. You ready?”
    The roof?
    If he said so, she would do it. She nodded then realized he couldn’t see her and said, “I’m ready.”
    Zane’s arms fell away. Her body mourned the loss. He whispered, “I’m pulling a poncho over your head. Don’t panic.”  When he had the poncho on her, he took her hand and led her to the wall with the windows.
    “Do you know how to climb a rope and walk your feet up the wall?” he asked quietly.
    She’d done that plenty of times in her training classes. “Yes.”
    “You go first, I’ll be right behind you. When you get on the roof, don’t move until I’m up there.”
    “Okay,” she whispered and grabbed the rope to start up. At the sharp pain in her side, she sucked in air and hesitated.
    “What’s wrong?” he asked.
    Angel gritted her teeth. She could do this. Adrenaline kicked in. “Nothing. Let’s go.”
    Hand over hand, her moves painfully slow, she made it to the roof while rain pelted her face. She struggled over the edge until she was on her hands and knees, waiting.
    Zane popped up right behind her.
    Water ran over the top of her shoeless foot from the flood rushing across the corrugated roof. He handed her the flashlight then pulled the rope up in loops and slung it over his shoulder. With his hands on her shoulders, he bent down close to her ear.
    “Hold my belt and walk in my tracks as close as you can.”  Before letting go he brushed her lips with his. “Hang in there just a little longer and we’ll be out of here.”
    Reaching zombie state, she nodded, but he must have caught her movement. He gave her a little squeeze then hooked her hand through his belt and took the flashlight. She slipped twice on the slick metal as they scooted across the roof and down the ladder.
    ~*~
    Zane could feel Angel’s fear and heard her soft whimper more than once, enough to know she was in pain, but they couldn’t stop yet. He towed her through the thick weeds. When he neared the entrance to the building, headlights from the alley shot crossways in front of them. He hauled her up between him and the building.
    That way he could see who arrived without being spotted.
    Another sport utility swung around the first one to park.
    The driver stepped from the vehicle and raced around to open the passenger door. When a statuesque blond male stepped out of the new vehicle, Angel stiffened against Zane. Was that the bastard who’d hurt her?
    Zane spoke very low. “Do you know him?”
    She hesitated then nodded under his chin.
    The two men moved out of view then a door banged shut.
    “Let’s go.” Zane dragged her quickly through the thicket. At the Land Rover, he made her squat down next to one of the vehicles, telling her not to move. With a knife from his boot, he slashed the tires, moved to the second vehicle and did the same, then shoved the knife back in place and grabbed her hand, taking off again.
    They rushed along the tracks in a jog, slower than they’d go if she weren’t minus one shoe. Zane needed two or three more minutes to get Angel to the truck. They’d made it a third of the way there when shouts erupted behind them.
    High-powered searchlights beamed frantically, scouring the ground outside the building.
    Zane jerked Angel to a stop. “Take the flashlight and keep it pointed the way we were running. Go to where the tracks meet the street. My truck is there. Stay out of sight when you get there. I’ll be right behind you.”
    “No. I – ”
    “Arguing will get us both killed. Do as I say,” Zane ordered, whipping out his weapon.
    A beam of light shined down the tracks, picking them up.
    “Now!”  Zane shoved the light into her hands.
    She stumbled away.
    A zing sounded on the tracks just short of where he stood. He fired two shots, then sprinted down the tracks behind Angel and the bobbing flashlight.
    Shots rang out, landing all around him. He tripped once, caught his balance and fired back, this time lower.
    One high beam